Wisdom of Age

Are there any real advantages to getting older? Not that many, really. We become wiser; well, some of us do. We become more learned. Maybe a bit more gentle and caring. Hopefully more understanding. We become what young people only sometimes refer to as "seniors". The younger ones will never admit that we are smarter and more knowledgeable than they are. Did we when we were their age? It is very funny to see someone in their 20's try to relate their life stories as "equal" to mine. And they are serious too. It's not even close! They talk about having two or even three jobs in their life, and all the hardship they had to go thru. What? They're in their 20's! What hardship? They are just getting started in life. Have they had eight or nine jobs, been through the war three times, seen 30 different countries and cultures, fished all the great oceans of the world, visited with dignitaries, served in the military for twenty years, had children that are grown, had grand children, lived in a foreign country for years, earned three degrees, travelled to 42 of the 50 states, walked across the border to Mexico or Canada, skiied in the Rocky Mountains, gambled in Las Vegas, Reno and the Bahamas, took a tour on an ocean liner, caught crabs in the P.I., swam with sting rays, seen Bourbon Street in New Orleans, been to professional football and baseball games, shot at an enemy of our country, attended OcktoberFest in Germany, seen the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Mosques in Saudi, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE, been to the Hard Rock Cafe in Manila, in Vegas, in Singapore, in Thailand, in Spain, talked with Bon Jovi, Bob Seger, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Alabama, know George Strait and his family, shot an M-16 or M-4, rode four wheelers through the wilderness in Alaska, had a wolf take an apple from their mouth, or so many other things that I have done! That is why it is very funny to me when they try to make comparisons with their own life.  It's not even close! I could easily continue the list, but you get it.

Wow! I just summarized most of my 59 years! When I start to think back on all the stuff I have listed above, it would seem I've had a pretty full life! I guess I have! I'm mostly proud of everyting I've done, with a few exceptions that you can figure out. Not many people on the planet will experience all the things that I have. I guess my life would be considered pretty good, if only I had ended up rich or something.  But I'm not. Well, you can't have everything.

Old Age. I don't consider myself over the hill yet, but it will happen. I'm going to try everything I can to hold on to my dignity, my pride, my morals, and hopefully I will age gracefully. That is my wish. I do not want to become a burden on my family. If I can leave them, and my friends, better off for knowing me, then that is a big deal! When they do thinnk of me, right now, and later when I'm not here any more, I hope they will think of me with a smile, and remember that I was a do'er, an adventurer, and pretty good guy!